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  ecently, a great deal of attention has been paid to the transition of power in Mexico, where a long entrenched political party gave way to its rival in a historic election. But few in the United States have noticed that halfway around the world a similar and possibly even more important story has been unfolding. The location of that story is the island of Taiwan or historically known as Formosa. In the new documentary Formosa of Democracy, it is powerfully clear that what is taking place in Taiwan is of crucial importance to the future of the ever-influential Asia.
 Though it sits at the edge of the looming shadow of communist Mainland China, Taiwan is noted as a miracle of democracy. In December 1949, a 100-mile strait became the refuge for the democratic government of the Republic of China. When the Mainland fell under the control of Mao Zedong and the communist party, pioneers of the democracy fled the country establishing a land of freedom in Taiwan. In the half century of its thriving existence, Taiwan has struggled with one question – Independence. In the eyes of the nationalist Kuomintang Party, which dominated Taiwanese politics for five decades, the answer to the query of independence is that Taiwan is a part of China and will reunite, but under KMT rule.
In 2000, at the turn of the millennium, history was made when voters rejected the Kuomintang in favor of the Democratic Progressive Party, which supports an independent Taiwan. As Formosa of Democracy points out, however, change can be difficult. Following the DPP’s victory, the communist Chinese warned that any declaration of independence might be met with military force. The result has been a toning down of the DPP’s promises, but not a toning down of the issue that lies at the heart of Taiwan’s future-independence.
 While living in a type of limbo, Taiwan has climbed to the top ranks of Asian societies. Formosa of Democracy takes the viewer beyond the portrait of a place known primarily for its scenic beauty, to a land with a booming economy and a population that is beginning to be more and more concerned about its quality of life, about the education of its children, and about the health of its environment. It is a land that is proud that it has been able to peacefully make a transition from one ruling party, one ruling philosophy, to another. Whether Taiwan reunifies with Mainland China or stands independently, they will not relinquish the beauty of their democracy.
Formosa of Democracy was produced by Doris Ester-Childress for HoustonPBS and is a Lark International Presentation.
Formosa of Democracy is distributed by American Public Television. American Public Television (APT), located in Boston, is a major source of programming for the nation’s public television stations.
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